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35: Been Here Before
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Jarren
I listened to her easy breathing as she slept. She was sleeping so peacefully. Closing my eyes, I listened to the sounds of the house. Nothing. Everything seemed to be deafly quiet. Inhaling, I didn’t smell anything either. I settled back in the bed and pulled her closer to me. I didn’t plan on sleeping tonight. I was bothered, and I had a right to be. I had left Jillie alone, and there was no telling what could have happened. The lights had gone out, but I knew they should have come back on. The cottage had a backup generator. It should have kicked in if the storm had knocked the lights out. I also wanted to believe that the generator was affected by the storm, but I knew that wasn’t the case. At the moment, it didn’t matter. I would figure it out in the morning. Right now, I didn’t plan on leaving Jillie alone again. IRelated chapters
Protected 36: Dreading Conversations
JarrenI walked back inside and went straight into the kitchen, deciding what to fix tonight. I didn’t know what Jillie had a taste for, but I decided that ravioli would be safe. As I went about fixing it, I thought about our honeymoon ending. If I was being honest, I didn’t want it to end. Going home meant starting to work, continuing my training, having lessons, and attending meetings with my Dad—a bunch of things I didn’t want to do. Though I had made the stupid mistake of telling my family, I would take the throne in a year or so. Things were, however, different now, especially with Jillie being pregnant. Again, I would have to talk to my parents. More specifically, it was my mom since it was she who wanted me to take the throne so quickly in the first place. Once I was finished cooking, I headed into t
Protected 37: Welcome Home
Jillie Our honeymoon had been fantastic. The last few days were spent doing different things. Boat riding, hiking, and more shopping, to Jarren’s dismay. Unfortunately, it was also filled with more sickness. I stared out the plane window as Jarren looked over some papers he received yesterday. To say he wasn’t happy about it was an understatement. He was more than upset that people were interrupting our honeymoon even though it was the last day. Jarren groaned, and I turned to see him run his hand through his hair. Standing from my seat, I took the folder from his hand and placed it in the chair across from him. I sat in his lap and kissed him softly.“Whatever it is, you’ll figure it out.”“Why do we have to go back?”I laughed. “Because they’ll all get w
Protected 38: Moving
Jillie“Jillie!” My Mom greeted as she opened the door and pulled me into a bone-breaking, breathtaking hug.“Hi, Mom,” I stated, but it was muffled against her shoulder. I turned around and waved to Jarren before he drove away.“And where does he think he’s going?” Mom asked with her hands on her hips.I refrained from rolling my eyes. “He has parents that missed him too.” She stepped aside, and I walked into the house. I could smell cookies baking in the oven. I entered the kitchen to find my Dad sitting at the table with the newspaper. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms ar
Protected 39: Time to Meet a Baby
JarrenI leaned against the counter, sipping a glass of blood and waiting for Jillie downstairs. We had about an hour left before meeting Hollie at the palace. I would have preferred for her to come to us, but I knew all her equipment was set up in the medical room. Honestly, I was trying to avoid my mother. I didn’t understand why she was pushing this so hard. Yes, I had agreed to take the throne a year after getting married. I’d promised I’d be ready, and I was. Now, things have changed. It was no longer just Jillie and I. We had a child on the way, and what type of parent and husband would I be if I just up and took over right after the baby was born? Not to say that my parents weren’t great, because they were. But I could remember most of my time spent with Nannies when I was younger. Especially with both of them traveling for
Protected 40: Godmother
Jillie I was bouncing in my seat as Jarren pulled up to Mason’s pack land. I was almost bolting from the car before it stopped. I bounded up the stairs and was about to knock on the door when Jarren took my hand and led me to another house. This one was smaller. He pushed the door open, and I saw Sage sitting in a chair while Rian stood on the other side of the room, staring out the window. Well, that didn’t seem too promising. I made a mental note to talk to Sage about it later.“How is she?” I asked.“She’s as fine as could be expected. She hasn’t been in labor that long.” Sage responded. I nodded and sat beside her, taking her hand in mine. I knew she was happy for Alyx, but I also knew this was a bittersweet moment for her due to her loss a few months ago. She smiled, taking comfort in my support. I could hear muffle
Protected 41: A Day With Kids
Jillie Unpacking was simply torture. I had been up since eight this morning, doing nothing but unpacking. I had to find some way to fill my morning, especially with Jarren gone. Whatever he had to take care of yesterday was being done today because we went to check on Alyx yesterday. Jarren had said he’d have someone come over and help me unpack, but I wanted to do it myself. It was another one of those moments. Making my way downstairs, I walked into the kitchen before rummaging through the refrigerator. I was starving and decided to make some pasta. Closing the fridge, I filled a small pot with water and set it on the stove. As the water heated up, I took a package of pasta from the pantry before grabbing a can of cream of chicken.
Protected 42: Alyx & Reyna
JillieI pulled up at Alyx’s house about twenty minutes later. I knocked on the door before walking inside. She was sitting on the couch watching TV with Reyna lying in her bassinet. I walked over and sat beside her.“I was starting to wonder if you had forgotten about me,” Alyx stated, nudging me.“Well, the thought of ditching you did cross my mind,” I responded with a smirk. Alyx rolled her eyes. “I went to the orphanage today.” I then responded.She smiled. “Did you have fun?”“I did. The kids are great.” She nodded, turning back towards the TV. “Where is Mason?”“He’s with your husband somewhere.”“Well, that’s never a sign of anything good. They’re probably doing something they have no business doing.”“Most likely,” Alyx responded. “But enough about them. Tell me
Protected 43: Backup Has Arrived
JarrenI watched as Mason paced the floor. He was losing his mind over something I had to tell him. For some reason, he was being impatient. All he had to do was wait another few minutes until Xander and Garret showed up. I wanted to laugh, but somehow I knew that wouldn’t help – what I’m assuming was - his nervousness. A few minutes later, both Garret and Xander walked into the room.“Okay, tell me now,” Mason stated when everyone was seated.I all but laughed. “Calm down, Mason. You act like I’m about to tell you I’m breaking our alliance or something.” He gave me a look that said that was precisely what he was thinking. “Seriously,
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Protected Epilogue
JillieI reached over beside me, but Jarren wasn’t there. Opening my eyes, I found his side of the bed empty. Figuring that he must already be with one of the kids, I swing my legs out of the bed and make my way to Avarie’s room. She’s sleeping peacefully, so it must have been Alec crying. I make my way into his room and he’s sleeping as well. Puzzled, I drift back out into the hallway. I could have sworn crying woke me up. I noticed that there was a light on downstairs. Making my way down, I follow the soft light into the living room. Figuring out what Jarren is doing up at this time is a little beyond my tired brain’s capability. Vampire or not, he was about to get in the bed with me so I could go back to sleep. Stepping into the living room, however, I didn’t see Jarren. Instead, Kaileeh was curled up in the corner of the sofa. She was rocking back and forth slightly as she gazed at her hands, frightened. I took a cautious step towards her. I’d never seen he
Protected 92: Changed by Love
JillieThe words that came out of Hollie’s mouth felt foreign to me, even though I’d heard them less than about forty-five minutes ago. I couldn’t be crowning again. That would insinuate that I was having twins, which I was not. Hollie had shown me the sonograms, and there was only one baby in them. Yet here I was, pushing as if my life depended on it. I looked at Jarren again, who looked a little paler than usual.“Hollie,” I started through breaths. “Can vampires faint?”“Not that I know of, but you never know. Why?” She questioned, glancing up.“Because I think my husband is about to pass out.” She didn’t respond and instead told me to push. Just like the first time, we worked as a team, and this birth was much quicker, with only the use of one syringe. That was a small victory that was quickly forgotten when I
Protected 91: Doubly Shocked
JarrenPacing. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last thirty minutes. I was pacing and trying to soothe Jillie. I was worried, and the more I worried, the faster I paced. I’d freaked poor Ean out. He was the kind that liked to live in denial and pretend that certain things didn’t exist. I wondered how much of this he would actually be able to ignore. I glanced over at the bed to find Hollie staring intently at the monitors and Teya dabbing Jillie’s forehead with a cool cloth. I felt so helpless because I couldn’t do anything other than be here for her. I couldn’t take her pain away, and I desperately wanted to. I sighed and resumed my pacing. I knew I should have gone with them. The suspense of not knowing what was going on or where they were was killing me, but I realized this is how Jillie would have f
Protected 90: They Need to Hurry
JillieMy baby girl was kicking my butt like she was mad at the world. It had almost been nonstop for the past few hours. To top that off, those stupid cramps just wouldn’t let up. As luck would have it, Jarren was out doing who knows what at the moment. So I was on my own, dealing with my high-maintenance daughter, who was a complete daddy’s girl. I’d tried everything. I’d placed headphones on my stomach and played calm, soothing music. I’d rub my stomach until both of my hands and arms felt like they were limp noodles and about to fall off at any minute. I’d tried talking to her, then begging. I’d even resorted to bribery. None of that worked. &n
Protected 89: Hold Them Delicately
JarrenWhen Jillie got up, I waited a few minutes before following her. I stopped just on the other side of the patio door and listened to the silence. I knew she’d gone out there. I could hear her heart beating, but she wasn’t saying anything. When she finally spoke, I realized that she’d noticed that something was wrong with Nunny as well. As I sat and listened to them talk, my heart broke. Nunny was right; I wouldn’t be able to handle it if something happened to Jillie and our child. My world would literally come crashing down, and I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. They were my life, and just thinking about this scared me, and I was never scared. Life was cruel sometimes. It seemed like we couldn’t win for losing. When we caught a break, something else came along and ruined it. Not this time. I was dete
Protected 88: Chaos for the Fly
Jillie When I opened the gifts, I was overwhelmed by the amount of clothes, shoes, toys, diapers, and wipes. It looked like we’d have enough to last for the next few years, though I knew that was unlikely. I knew that babies went through a ton of diapers in a year. I had four gifts left to open. Three were wrapped in pink paper with little baby rattles on them, and the other was in a gift bag with clouds and the words “It’s a girl” written on it. My Dad brought the rather large boxes over to me one by one, and I ripped the paper from them. There was a highchair, a walker, and a baby swing. Upon seeing what they were, I turned to my mother, w
Protected 87: Baby Shower
Jillie New Year was full of friends, family, and food. We’d rung in the year at my parent’s house and spent the day at the boys and girls center with most of the kids from town. I couldn’t play with them like I once had, but the Fang gang, Wolf Pack, and Kaileeh were making up for that. While they ran around playing dodgeball, I had to remind Xander not to throw too hard; I got to watch Sara and Kinley draw. They were both very talented little girls. We’d had lunch with all of them, and Xander got hit on quite a bit, along with Carson and Garret, by the teenage girls. Kaileeh hadn’t been too happy about the last one, but she was trying not to show it. Overall, it was a good day. I was currently sitting in the living room watching TV. I hadn&rs
Protected 86: Playing Santa
JillieI didn’t know what to say. It was absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect than what I was looking at as a room for our little girl. It was done in sky blue and pale yellow. He’d painted the ceiling, and there were clouds all over it. The floor had been done in the same blue, but it was more textured. The crib was sand brown with a blue and yellow color scheme for bedding. There was an armchair and ottoman of the same color as well. The room had so much beauty that I couldn’t describe it all. It looked like a small castle for a princess. He’d even taken all of her clothes and put them away in the closet and the bureau he’d gotten to match the rest of the room. There were toys on a shelf, a changing table, and plush animals hang
Protected 85: Speechless
Jarren Rian had lost his damn mind talking to the women in the house that way, and if he thought that I wasn’t going to say something about it, then he had thought wrong. When Mason shut the door behind him, I pushed Rian into the side of the house. My anger was at an all-time high.“Have you lost your mind?” I questioned, fuming. Mason stepped between us.“Look, I know what you’re going to ask me, and it’s none of your business. What happens between Sage and I is just that, between Sage and I.”“Wrong!”I snapped. “When it’s affecting the two of yo
